Spinoff on nail polish
 

What are your thoughts on two different colors for fingernails and toenails for recruitment? Is this a faux pas or acceptable?

Does it make a difference if it's in the same color range, but only slightly darker lighter?

I generally have different colors for fun, but it's rare that anyone sees my toenails, but for recruitment I'll have open-toed shoes.

Thanks. =)

I guess I'd have to see examples, but it seems like it would be drawing negative attention. You want them looking at your face, not your hands and feet. I think stylish but not too out there is the way to go for recruitment. Nicely polished, not too long, clean, etc. I hate the word classy, so how about classic instead?

I should probably add, I was thinking about a light neutral polish. A light pink, but not a matte one, basically a quiet color. Nothing like bright purple or dark red.

oh wait... you mean fingers one color and toes another? Sorry, call me caaaraazy, but I thought you were asking about some funky nail art. I think similar but different fingers and toes is fine. Again, nothing that draws particular attention to them; just nice and "polished" looking. I'm laughing out loud at myself now!

I almost never wear the same color on my nails and toes. You probably don't want to go with a dark teal on your nails and an orange sorbet on your toes (what I'm currently wearing and about to fix ;) ), but a light pink on the nails and bright pink on toenails would be cute...for this I would go with a light shade for your nails and a darker/brighter shade of the same color for your toenails.

I absolutely never do the same color - but I almost always wear clear on my finger nails (I find colored nail polish to be distracting - I'll wear it once in a while when I'm trying to make a statement but other than that I stick to clear) and a color on my toes.

I wouldn't think it would be a big deal if they were different. I wouldn't do two different colors on my fingers, though - that would be strange.

I usually do clear on my nails, too, but sometimes can't resist colors. :)

Matching fingers and toes is WAY out of date. Anyone I see doing it screams "retro" to me.

Go with a classic true red (not more blue or yellow based) on your toes and either nude or clear on your fingers.

Hot toe nail colors are adorable. Sort of a surprise! at the end of the day.

I knew you'd show up, I paged you telepathically. So - fingers and toes don't necessarily need to match, Tasteful One? Inquiring minds want to know.

At the moment one daughter (older) has pink on her fingers and deeper rose on the toes. The Reluctant One has lavender on the fingers (which will be toned down for recruitment to pink) and a color that looks like the inside of a seashell on her toes. I have a pale pink on the fingers and a Sephora sold coral on the toes.

It's fun, and toes last longer than fingers...so have fun with the pedicure. Personally I do hate the black color that was in last year. But a nice pedicure, whether done professionally or at home, really finishes off a look.

And of course I'd show up on a fashion question if just to see what's going on!!! After all, I must (1) keep my fashion up to date so that my shopping isn't in vain. And (2) I was the mother who said, "Never put lemon juice on your hair to lighten it...never do color on your own!!! I will take you to the hairdresser!!!!"

one has to be consistant......

And Good morning AzTheta...knew I'd see you here too!

I have beige on my nails and coral on my toes after correcting my loud combination I had earlier. :)

Good advice on the hair color...my mom forbid me to dye my hair so of course the first thing I did when I left home was dye it. Home kit. I learned my lesson, and when I came home she said, "If you refuse to listen to reason, at LEAST get that done in a salon". My hair doesn't do well with dye, so I am all natural now, but she was right. No box color ever again after that first disaster.

ellebud, a quick segue b/c I'm sure others are lurking and wondering.

Your opinion please, on flowers and other decorations painted on toes. I ask because I do NOT want to be talked into it if it's a *no no noes* type of thing.

Even I know better than to do that to the fingernails... but toes?

Personally I/we don't do it. But again, toes are sort of the fun/flirty area.

Incidentally, I am sure everyone has seen the Lohan nails that she wore to court. That is now the thing to do with a certain group. And after recruitment, aside from the **** you, if you want to go to your usual style of dark...fine. I personally think that you don't want to be known as the girl who wore....the deep purple with the bulldogs on your fingers.

I think it would be okay, depending on a) how formal your recruitment is and b) how well they go together. If you have a super formal recruitment, you might want to stick to the same colors. If you do go with two different colors (and I think that's fine if you don't have a super formal recruitment, I do it all the time too), just make sure they go together. You want people to notice YOU, not your nails.

Ellebud, I was hoping you would reply! You seem to have very good fashion sense. =)
Red is a pretty color, but is it really appropriate for a PNM during recruitment? I have bright reds, I have one darker red, but quite a few neutral pinks. Tan, beige, taupe, or gray are MAJOR a major no-no on my hands. Purples, teals and maroons look nice, but those might be a little too loud. Basically I want nice nails, but not "Oh my god, did you SEE that girl's nails? Yuck!"

Now watch, the day before recruitment all of my nails will get ripped to shreds or something.

Parfait, ellebud is The Go-To person for all things style-related (in every sense of the word "style").

She will not steer you wrong. She has a black belt in Elegance.

::eek: Ok, now I'm getting nervous. What if I steer someone wrong? I have no problem with very short skirts for good legs (not for me nor anyone of my generation), but in other parts of the country...things could go wrong.

My gut says this: Don't do anything to make you unattractive...so it you look good in a certain color and horrible in another...go with your color style and complete the look. (Please note: I do not mean Chanel black and purple velvet for day.) After all, nicely done nails complete not compete with your outfit. I did mention that my daughter is currently in lavender...kind of the color of a Maui sunrise? It's pretty, not the first thing that you notice about her. And she's wearing summer colors so it all comes together.

I have no idea what the rush chair will dictate for rush for the girls.

I do know someone who has (no, I am NOT kidding nor lying) three and a half inch long nails (held together with papers and acrylic) and has stuff drawn on them. Hideous, but she's wonderful.

OhhKay, I'll amend the hyperbole.

Go-To for ALMOST all things style-related.

But I'm sticking with the black belt comment. 'night!

My friend does not come to me nor do I offer her any style advice. She is her own person and if she were projected back into college....yeah, she'd been the girl who everyone talked about with the fingernails.

Night all!

If it were me, I'd go with two different shades of pink, since you say no tan/beige. I don't think red would look bad (it is classic), but it would be loud. A light pink on the nails would be pretty and soft, and a brighter pink on the toes would be cute. And that's safe.

Did anyone else think this was going to be a recruitment story with the code for sororities being OPI colors?

Sorry for the disappointment!

Ellebud, I've enjoyed reading your posts, particularly the ones with fashion mentioned in them. They're always an interesting read and well-written. Even though I spend most of my time lurking here. ;)
Right now I have a french manicure, but I'll be removing it (starting to chip) and probably going with a very neutral pink.

Thank you for all the replies! =)

Haha, guess we GPBs think alike :D